Why I'm Building Coachstack (and this newsletter)

It was 5:30 AM on a Saturday. 

I'd just been laid off from my climate tech startup. And I couldn't shake the idea that had me questioning all my life choices: 

How can coaches charge $300/hour but deliver their service through tools that look like a college student's side hustle?

I'd seen it firsthand. Six months earlier, I hired an executive coach who was genuinely excellent—sharp, experienced, exactly the kind of professional you'd expect to command premium fees. 

But the moment our first session ended, the cracks showed. Invoice from Square. Contract from DocuSign. Resources buried in a random Google Drive folder. Oh, and can’t forget a booking link from Calendly.

She had the expertise of a seasoned professional and the back-end systems of someone who'd been in business for three weeks. That gap is what Coachstack is built to close. And this newsletter exists to help coaches like you make sure that gap never exists in your business in the first place.

WHAT’S ON DECK

• The Playbook: How to go from idea to MVP in 18 months

• Real Wins: Beta feedback that changed everything

• Your Next Move: One pricing confidence question

• Steal This: Mine gold in less than 15 min

• Coachstack Connect: Premium delivery systems

YOUR MISSING PIECE

If you're serious about building a coaching business that commands respect and premium fees, this story matters. Too many talented coaches undercut their credibility with systems that scream "side hustle" instead of "professional practice."

THE PLAYBOOK

How to go from idea to MVP in 18 months

You've spent years building expertise that people will genuinely pay for. The last thing you need is to spend the next 18 months piecing together a tech stack that undermines everything you've worked to establish. 

I went through that process so you don't have to... Here's what building Coachstack actually taught me about what serious coaches need to look credible, attract premium clients, and grow without the stress.

1. Audit Your Client Experience First

Six months before my layoff, I hired an executive coach. The sessions were transformational—she helped me navigate career decisions that literally changed my trajectory. Worth every penny of the $300/hour I paid.

But the client experience felt like buying a Rolex from someone selling it out of their trunk.

The process was everywhere: Calendly for booking, Square for payments, DocuSign for agreements, Google Drive for resources, and random email threads for follow-ups. I was paying premium prices but getting an experience that made me wonder if she was actually as established as she claimed.

2. Write Down the Idea Before You Build It

That Saturday morning, fresh off getting laid off, my brain wouldn't let go of one simple thought: Coaches with this level of expertise deserve better than patched-together systems that undermine their credibility.

I woke up my wife and told her about the idea. She looked at me like I was insane (fair), then said, "Go write it down before you forget."

The name "Coachstack" hit me immediately. Everything coaches need in one professional platform. No more explaining why your invoice comes from Square while your contract comes from DocuSign.

3. Test Your Assumptions With Your Market

My SaaS background taught me to validate ideas before building them. I spent three months interviewing 25-30 career and executive coaches who were serious about growing their practices.

What I heard consistently:

• "I know I should charge more, but my systems make me look unprofessional"

• "I want predictable income, not this feast-or-famine cycle"

• "I'm excellent at coaching but the business side overwhelms me"

My first instinct was completely wrong. I thought coaches wanted AI-powered marketing tools. Turns out, they actually enjoy writing their own content because it helps clarify their expertise.

What they really craved: A platform that made them look as professional as they actually are, from the first client touchpoint to the final invoice.

4. Know Your Limits Before You Start Building

I taught myself Figma and Webflow. Built prototypes. Got excited feedback from coaches who said, "This is exactly what I need to feel confident raising my rates!"

Then I started learning Bubble to build the actual platform.

Oof, that was brutal. I could handle the interface design, but was drowning in the integrations with Stripe and Calendly. Six whole months were spent in painful self-teaching or finding someone who actually knew what they were doing.

5. Move Fast When the Right Partner Shows Up

At the Bubble Conference in NYC, I met this developer who went by "No Code Pete." He'd built NoCodeFusion, an AI tool for Bubble developers, but was barely covering his Brooklyn expenses.

On October 14, 2024, he posted this tweet:

I DMed him immediately. Shared my Figma prototype and explained the vision.

His response: "I love this design. Who built the framework?"

Me: "I did."

Him: "I can build this for $8K in three weeks."

Every other agency had quoted me $25-50K+ and 3-6 months. I was skeptical but determined. Created an LLC, drafted contracts, and took the train to NYC to sign the deal face-to-face.

To fund it, I sold my Honda Accord. (Best decision I ever made, even though I genuinely loved that car.)

Three weeks and one day later, Pete called: "Coachstack is ready for testing."

I nearly fell out of my chair. Every feature worked. There were bugs to fix, but the foundation was solid.

REAL WINS

February 2025: 

• I ran a pilot with six established coaches to test the MVP. The feedback was better than I expected:

• "This is exactly what I needed when I was starting out. You're onto something big here."

• These experienced coaches told me the platform would have been most valuable during their first year—when they were trying to establish credibility and justify premium pricing.

• That's when I realized my real market are coaches (as opposed to just any coach) ready to build businesses that look professional from day one, not after years of trial and error.

March 2026: 

• Based on that feedback, I launched Coachstack as a premium done-for-you service. A complete business system that makes new coaches look like seasoned professionals from their first client call.

TL;DR

Peter’s 3 Keys to Remember:

1. Your systems either reinforce or undermine your expertise. When coaches deliver premium results through amateur-looking processes, they train clients to question their value.
   

2. Professional presentation is strategy, not vanity. Don’t think high fees = the most skilled. The best coaches build entire client experiences that reinforces their authority.
   

3. Market validation beats gut instincts every time. I thought coaches wanted AI marketing tools, when they actually just wanted systems that let them focus on coaching instead of scrambling to look professional.

STEAL THIS

Free Resource: My "Information Advantage" framework is the exact exercise I use to help coaches identify their unique expertise and turn it into a profitable niche. [Download here]

COACHSTACK CONNECT

The Coachstack platform handles all the technical and professional presentation details, so coaches can focus entirely on delivering real and sustainable change.

YOUR NEXT MOVE

Audit one part of your current client experience through their eyes. Would you pay premium prices for a service delivered the way you're delivering yours?

Then reply and tell me: What would make you feel confident charging premium prices for your coaching? I read every response and often share insights in future newsletters.

–

Building a coaching business that commands respect requires more than expertise. It requires systems that make your professionalism undeniable at every client touchpoint.

Next week, I'll share why most coaches struggle with inconsistent income (and why the solution isn't better marketing or more leads.) 

Whenever you're ready, here are 2 ways I can help:

1. Book a free strategy call — No pitch, just clarity on what's holding your coaching business back. [Book your call]

2. Apply for the The Signature Build — We rebuild your entire online presence in 45 days. Brand, website, lead magnet, email automation, LinkedIn, and all-in-one platform. $2,999 founding member rate + $99/month ongoing. [Apply here]

—Peter